CIS No. 2 Axemen win AUS Championship on the road
HALIFAX, N.S. - Travis Randell's goal at 14:46 of the second period was the eventual game winner as the Axemen captured their first AUS Championship since the 2005-2006 season with a 3-1 win over the Saint Mary's Huskies in Halifax.
HALIFAX, N.S. - Travis Randell's goal at 14:46 of the second period was the eventual game winner as the Axemen grabbed their first AUS Championship since the 2005-2006 season with a 3-1 win over the Saint Mary's Huskies in Halifax.
Acadia captured their ninth AUS championship in four games against the Saint Mary's Huskies in a best of five final series that began in Wolfville for games one and two. Sunday night's Saint Mary's win was only the first and only time this season that the Axemen lost to the Huskies.
Randell's marker was the Axemen's second goal of the night after Acadia struck first with 1:31 remaining in the opening frame. Dustin Ekelman scored his fourth goal of the playoffs on the powerplay after Liam Heelis made his way around a Huskie defender tight against the boards and fed Ekelman in the slot. Ekelman made a move around a sprawling Huskie and slid a shot between Anthony Peters' legs for the 1-0 lead after one period.
A less physical game than the night before, the Huskies stayed alive with a 2-1 win over Acadia. Saint Mary's was short one player from the previous night, following a suspension of Gerrad Grant for a blow to the head that ended Axeman Geoff Schemitsch's playoff run due to a concussion.
The Huskies tied the game at one at the seven minute mark of the second period when Steven Shipley deflected a shot by Matt Tipoff. Acadia's Evan Mosher lost the puck in the crowd following the shot. Mosher was named Acadia's Player of the Game after stopping 28 shots.
Randell's game winner came at 14:46 in the second period on an unassisted goal.
Out-shooting the Huskies 22-15 after two periods, Acadia held onto the lead into the closng minutes of the game as the Huskies applied pressure to tie. Michael Clarke scored an empty netter in the closing seconds, giving the Axemen a spot at the CIS National Championshp in Saskatoon, Sask.
Captain Liam Heelis, who was honoured as thePlayoff's Most Valuable Player after netting five goals and six assists in eight playoff games, was asked what was gong through his mind after the victory by AVR's Len Hawley. "Words can't describe it, I am stunned and living in the moment. It feels great"
Assistant Captain Colin Archer pointed out that series was the hard from beginning to end. "It was a real battle out there tonight and it feels great to be on top".
Winning both semi-final and final series in four games each, the Axemen will head to Saskatchewan as the CIS No. 2 ranked team and will hope for the same seeding. Joining them will be OUA East champion McGill, OUA West Champion Windsor, Canada West Champion Alberta. Other entrants will be decided in the coming days. The Host Saskatchewan Huskies will also be in the Championship Tournament.